Richard Thomas checks out a B-Cycle rental bicycle last week near City Hall. Fees range from $5 for a pass that lasts 90 minutes to a $50 annual membership.

Richard Thomas checks out a B-Cycle rental bicycle last week near...

Nearly a year ago, City Council awarded a $105,000 contract to a Wisconsin company to install Houston's first bicycle rental stations. We were promised that eventually other rental stations would pop up in distinctly more useful locations than the three downtown stalls - at least by October. But it is nearly 2013, and we're still stuck at the three original locations ("Reviews, permits put brakes on new bike-rental kiosks," Page A1, Saturday).

But the slow startup has left too much room for pessimism about the program's low ridership. To which we say: Of course there is low ridership. Houston's B-Cycle system only has three stations, with a total of 18 bikes, all largely constrained to our commuter-centric downtown. Given the program's small size and lack of strong destinations, the 2,000 uses from 1,200 riders since B-Cycle's start in May should be viewed as a rather impressive coup.

A ridership limited to lunch-time jaunts across an expansive downtown or joyrides along Buffalo Bayou can only gain so many fans. If people are going to ride B-Cycles, we need stations that are actually destinations.

Montrose, Midtown and the Museum District have been floated as close and obvious spots for the next stations - and given how many "cool Houston" articles we've read in national magazines touting these hip locales, we can't disagree. Tight parking and multiple attractions make these areas prime biking avenues.

But in addition to a destination mentality, population and density are also important when it comes to the additional 23 locations. B-Cycle stations at sports stadiums would let people park near a distant station and ride a bike on over, rather than negotiate the often pricey parking among several thousand other fans. And stations on Houston's college campuses would help students get around. After all, the bike path between Texas Southern University and the Dynamos' stadium is a particularly gorgeous ride. And the University of Houston and the Museum District are connected by bicycle paths along Brays Bayou. Properly placed B-Cycle stations at these key locations would help folks get around without cars and enjoy the scenic paths hidden within our urban landscape.

These stations would ideally also show folks just how bikeable a city like Houston can be. Suburban dwellers who drive to the Museum District on the weekend may be pleasantly surprised to find that they can hop on a bike and explore our cityscape up close - without having to pay for gas or worry about parking.

There is no reason that Houston cannot be a biking city. San Antonio - hardly much cooler or denser than Houston - has 30 bicycle sharing stations, featuring 300 bikes that have logged nearly 50,000 trips since the program first started in in early 2011. All it takes is putting the plan into place.